Slave Trades, Kinship Structures and Women Political Participation in Africa

Leone Walters (), Carolyn Chisadza and Matthew Clance
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Leone Walters: Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa

No 202156, Working Papers from University of Pretoria, Department of Economics

Abstract: We study whether present-day women political participation in sub-Saharan Africa can be linked to the temporary gender ratio imbalances caused by the transatlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades, taking into account pre-existing gender norms influenced by kinship structures. Using individual-level data for 29 sub-Saharan African countries from the latest Afrobarometer surveys, ethnic region kinship and slave trade data, we find that a woman's ethnic region exposure to the transatlantic slave trade is associated with an increase in her likelihood to vote, however, only in non-patrilineal ethnic regions. This effect is mitigated in patrilineal ethnic regions, where women have less decision-making power. This paper contributes to the literature on the contemporary sub-national effects of the slave trades and the historical causes of gender gaps in political participation.

Keywords: Slave Trade; Gender; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34 pages
Date: 2021-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-evo, nep-gro, nep-his, nep-isf and nep-soc
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Related works:
Journal Article: Slave trades, kinship structures and women's political participation in Africa (2024)
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